This is Ohio: Resolved

Joy Hire, director of the Angel Choir of First Presbyterian Church, greets each member of her youth choir before rehearsals, and reminds herself that these teens are giving time from their busy days to sing and share sacred songs.

Choir Director Joy Hire. Photo by Doug Swift.

This spirit of humble gratitude is contagious. Members of the choir talk about the community, spiritual solace and the joy they get from singing. It's common for members to recruit their friends into the group.

This defies demographic trends. Teens today are stressed, overextended, and not as likely to be involved in church activities as in previous generations.

I first heard the Angel Choir of First Presbyterian Church at Granville's Christmas Candlelight Walking tour in 2023.

I suspected there was a beautiful story here, a good one for the time of year when we look for light in the darkness. About faith, and joy, and the miracle of music.

I was right.

You can hear the Angel Choir sing at the 6:30 p.m. Service of Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve at First Presbyterian Church, 110 West Broadway, Granville, Ohio.

Left to right: Jack Fallon, Josh Vickers, Connor Hare, Ian Hageman, Jackson Lough, Max Holtsberry, Max Bloomberg, Cooper Wollenberg. Photo by Doug Swift.

Left to right: Gigi Stone, Chloe Thatcher, Ruby Goodwin, Grace Emery, Sydney Eggert. Photo by Doug Swift.

Front row, left to right: Sophia Shinka, Nora Carrington, Molly Bruce, Connor Hare, Max Bloomberg. Middle row: Jack Fallon, Jackson Lough, Cooper Wollenberg. Back row: Sadie Carrington, Ian Hageman, Max Holtsberry, Evan Schehl, Josh Vickers. Photo by Doug Swift.

Doug Swift and Jack Shuler write for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers. Sign up for The Reporting Project newsletter here.